Sony KF-E50A10 RPTV underscan issue with MCE

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Sony KF-E50A10 RPTV underscan issue with MCE - powerstrip?

Felicks

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#8870 4-Aug-2006 21:00

I've recently bought a new Sony 50inch 3LCD rear projection tele and built a HTPC to go with it which is running Microsoft Media Centre edition. Everything is working fine although I want to sort out what I believe is an underscan problem.

The HTPC is connected to the tele via an D-Sub RBG connection. I am using the onboard graphics chip of an Intel D945G motherboard. (I chose that board as the chipset got very good write ups for HTPC use).

However both the plain desktop and Media Centre desktops occupy the same area on the screen and I haven't figured out a way to enlarge the picture to make it go to the edges of the screen. Currently I have about a 1 inch gap right around the screen that is not being used. Its black and doesn't get used when playing dvds or watching tv through the HTPC. The whole screen is used however when footage is going to the tele direct from other inputs like DVD from a DVD player or s-video straight from the Telstra Clear digital cable box.

I'm guessing the program called Powerstrip may be the answer but due to the warnings at using the program I have reservations as I don't wanto bugger my tele. Has anyone else used Powerstrip on a Sony 50inch rear projection for a similar problem? If so how did you get on and if it worked - WHAT DAMN SETTINGS DID YOU USE!

A 48 inch picure is nice admitedly but I've love to get those 2 inches back somehow.

lchiu7

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#43311 5-Aug-2006 01:08

A couple of things.

1. I doubt if Powerstrip would support that video chip and the special timings needed to drive the monitor properly

2. Plus it can be done but it's not so easy. Check out http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=670840

While this is a US forum the US and PAL models are similar enough when you talk about VGA input

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Felicks

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Master Geek

#43434 7-Aug-2006 16:58

Thanks for that help.

I'll check that link out shortly. Have discovered one thing since I posted that message. The Media Centre has a zoom function as well as the TV itself. As luck would have it - previously I was only using one at a time - not both at the same time. Now if I use the max zoom mode on the tele as well as one a couple of the four zooms on MCE, I can get a slight overscan which looks better than under but I'd still like to see if I can improve it obviously.

As for the chipset and whether it'll handle powerstrip - I guess I have to write to Sony and Intel and see what (if I get a reply at all), they say about it and the suitability of the software. I'm guessing they'll both be cagey about it....wouldnt' that be a surprise.

lchiu7

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#43438 7-Aug-2006 18:46

Regarding Powerstrip support you would be better off trying here

http://forums.entechtaiwan.net/

And I think the holy grail for a HTPC driving a FP or RP TV is 1:1 pixel mapping which I think the thread I referred to is all about

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Nety

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#43479 8-Aug-2006 08:42

Talk about timing!
I have a Sony KF-E42A10 and although I do not have a media centre PC I thought I would give running high def through my laptop a go. Had the issues that you described and was banging my head against the google wall trying to find the answer and here it is

Will give it a try later in the week.

Thankyou lchiu7

Media centre PC - Case Silverstone LC16M with 2 X 80mm AcoustiFan DustPROOF, MOBO Gigabyte MA785GT-UD3H, CPU AMD X2 240 under volted, RAM 4 Gig DDR3 1033, HDD 120Gig System/512Gig data, Tuners 2 X Hauppauge HVR-3000, 1 X HVR-2200, Video Palit GT 220, Sound Realtek 886A HD (onboard), Optical LiteOn DH-401S Blue-ray using TotalMedia Theatre Power Corsair VX Series, 450W ATX PSU OS Windows 7 x64

Pablo

1 post

Wannabe Geek

#44713 25-Aug-2006 22:06

Hi There,

I recently bought a new Sony 50" 3LCD (Rear Projection) TV aswell (KDF-E50)
And i need help with Qualtiy Issues if possible.

I have Digital Satellite TV being input to it, i was using standard aerial before
I taught the Digital Satellite TV would have improved the Quality,
I have played with the settings but still can tget it right,

The quality can be good on some stations and depending on Colour,
But on other stations, there is still , like a fuzz around images on the TV and can seem a bit disorted

Anyone got any advice
Cheers

Pablo (Confused)!!

Nety

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#44739 26-Aug-2006 12:35

Watched Fifth Element in high def last night with the family.. All I can say is WOW!!

lchiu7

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#44748 26-Aug-2006 17:24

Nety: Watched Fifth Element in high def last night with the family.. All I can say is WOW!!

Was the BluRay release? I had heard that the HD version wasn't up to scratch but then again the US folks have a higher standard to compare with!

I watched a 9Mbs wmvhd from HDNET I purchased (Shuttle Columbia) and the PQ is very good on a 56: JVC D-ILA. Showed some friends and they were very impressed - especially when I compared it with the digital TV1 signal from TCL

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Nety

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#44769 27-Aug-2006 10:05

This is a WMVHD as well. 4.80 Mbps VBR so lower then what you have seen. The purpose of the exercise for me was to firstly see what HD looked like on the TV, Show the wife what it looked like (as per normal was not fussed) as the kids (who were slightly more impressed), and working out the technical side of running it.
As you said I have nothing to compair it to. It may not have been as good as it gets but it was definatly a whole lot better then DVD

lchiu7

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#45032 30-Aug-2006 19:50

Nety: This is a WMVHD as well. 4.80 Mbps VBR so lower then what you have seen. The purpose of the exercise for me was to firstly see what HD looked like on the TV, Show the wife what it looked like (as per normal was not fussed) as the kids (who were slightly more impressed), and working out the technical side of running it.
As you said I have nothing to compair it to. It may not have been as good as it gets but it was definatly a whole lot better then DVD

I also have T2 Extreme which is also WMVHD at 720p. It's about 9Mbs also but my PCR which is only a Athlon XP 2000+ struggles a bit with it. But when it works the PQ is also very good. I will be first line when the PS3 comes out :-)

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Felicks

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Master Geek

#45384 4-Sep-2006 20:43

Sorry haven't been back to the forum for a while now - lots of reasons but I won't bore you with the details. Just to let you know, I rang 0800SONYNZ to get some help. The first time I rang I spoke with a fella who couldn't even find my model of tele!! I found this a little hard to believe and told him he must have something - its the latest 50inch tele they were selling. Eventually he found something but I quickly came to realise (and he some time after), that I knew more about TV's than he did (and I know sweet bugger all I have to say).

We finished the conversation with him saying that someone else would phone me back. Guess what - they didn't! Surprise surprise. So a week later I rang again and couldn't get through to speak to anyone that time so I took the other option and left a message for someone to ring me. Surprise surprise - they still haven't called back!! That was about 2 weeks ago.

So - SONY owners out there, be warned at the poor quality of service you are likly to receive should you have the need to ring Mr SONY. Looks like its down to me to surf the net/forums and links that have been provided. If/when I get a fix - I will post it but I'm thinking thats going to take some time (and patience).

Nety

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#45434 5-Sep-2006 10:23

Felicks the answer was provided by Ichiu7

Edit... sorry did not mean to shout